The Open Door
by BertaS
Summary: Severus has a slight misunderstanding with his Master that results in a new understanding. Five years after the end of the war. AU-Pretty much ignores the last two maybe three books. I was trying to clean up my files and found this, mostly complete, in my "crap" folder, no idea why I put it there. Severus lives. Not beta-ed all mistakes are mine. No Warning. One-shot–Complete.


Title: The Open Door

Author: **bertas**

Date Written:

Pairing: Severus / Harry

Rating: PG

Word Count: 1515

Warnings: None

Summary: Severus has a slight misunderstanding with his Master that results in a new understanding. Five years after the end of the war. AU - Pretty much ignores the last two maybe three books. One-shot – Complete.

A/N: I was trying to clean up my files and found this, mostly complete, in my "crap" folder, no idea why I put it there. Severus lives. Not beta-ed all mistakes are mine.

Disclaimer: Not blond. Not rich. Not JKR. This is strictly for your entertainment and mine.

The Open Door

Severus Snape moved silently through the still house checking the wards and locks to insure the security of the house and its occupants. It was a task he had assumed shortly after the end of the war.

As he reached the top of the stair he noticed that his Master's door was once again open, just as it had been nearly every evening since his master brought him here.

He pondered the meaning of the open door as he continued to ready himself for bed. Why was it open? In all this time Master had never ask him to join him in the huge bed the man slept in. As far as Severus could tell, Master had had no one else in his bed either. In the five years he had lived with him, his Master had not, to his knowledge, taken a lover.

As he showered, Severus thought of the Order Members and Deatheaters that were no longer in this world. He'd had friends and lovers on both sides. He dried himself inspecting his appearance in the mirror, wondering if his Master was as lonely as he was, before donning the soft fluffy black bath robe that his Master had given him this past Christmas.

He briefly wondered why he was still here, his Master really seemed to have very little use for him, and he was mostly left to his own devises in the expansive potions lab that his Master had provided. The products of his labor where sold to several apothecaries in Diagon alley or more often the results were published in various periodicals since his true passion was research.

He started for his own room to sleep when he once again noticed the open door. He sighed glancing at his arm and tapped lightly before entering the room.

"Was there anything else you required this evening?" he inquired politely. In his current mood it was difficult to keep his face carefully neutral, when all he wanted to do was throw himself on is Master and beg to be taken.

The man reclining on the bed looked up from his book before replying, "No thanks Sev." he smiled softly, "Good night."

Severus again glanced at his arm and the Mark this man had placed there, the Mark that meant that this man owned him, body and soul. But his Master refused to use him as he needed to be used. He had never been without someone to serve, to tell him what to do. He missed the strictly controlled life he had had before the war ended. He remembered the insanity at the end of the war and his worry over who would take care of him, who would want an ugly, sarcastic old bastard like him?

Sighing and swallowing the pain of yet another rejection, he completed the almost ritualistic nightly exchange, "Good night then." before turning to go to his bed.

"Sev?" the man called, "Are you alright?"

Severus didn't turn when he replied, "I am fine."

He thought of the Last Battle, of how his Dark Mark had been used to summon all of the Deatheaters and even the Dark Lord himself. He had then been forced to declare his allegiance in front of a great many people of all sides. His stated oath of loyalty, pledging himself to one man had shocked many of those present, including his Master. It had resulted in the change to his Mark. At the time it hadn't mattered as he was in so much pain from the mass calling that he did not expect to survive. He was unsure of how it had all ended as he only vaguely remembered Albus and the Dark Lord taking dueling stances as he passed out.

The days following the end were even worse. In his memory they were completely jumbled and confused. He vaguely remembered staying by his Masters side as he tried to put the Wizarding World back into a semblance of order. He recalled trying to help, not that in the state of mind he was in he was able to do much.

He was quite startled enough to turn when his Master spoke sharply, "Severus, come here." He patted the bed beside him.

Severus quickly moved to the side of the bed, dropped his robe, and slid between the sheets. He snuggled up close to the other man before smiling up in to the most confused brilliant green eyes he had ever seen.

Severus felt himself start to hyperventilate, he was sure that he had just messed up on a grand scale. Could he have really misunderstood? The door was open. His Master had ordered him to his bed, hadn't he? Was it possibly his own desire for his Master's touch that caused him to misinterpret what Harry wanted?

"Umm…" he wasn't sure what to say or if there was anything he could say. He thought back to the first time he had misinterpreted what Harry wanted. Harry had been angry and ranting about something, he couldn't remember now what it had been, but he had thought Harry meant to beat him to alleviate his frustration. He remembered that he had stripped off his jacket and shirt before kneeling in front of Harry and offering him the thin belt from around his own waist. This had only made Harry angrier. He had grabbed the belt and thrown it against the wall before stalking out of the house.

Severus was just as frightened now as he had been then even though Harry had never lifted a hand to him. He thought it would be easier to bear physical punishment than to be ignored as Harry often seemed to do.

He was surprised when he felt strong arms move around him and hold him gently. "It's alright Sev. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you think you had to… to… well, whatever you thought you had to do." A light kiss was pressed to his forehead, "You know that I would never force you to do anything you don't want to, right?"

Severus nodded solemnly, "Yes, I know." He paused, but decided Harry need to know how he felt, "It's just, when I realized you didn't really want… me…" he was trembling not even trying to maintain his usual stoic mask. He turned his head away not being able to bring himself to push Harry away. "I should have known you didn't mean… you have never before invited me to your bed, even if the door was open." He wondered why Harry had not sent him away yet. He could easily have ordered him to serve someone else. He had in fact been expecting just that for quite some time now.

Harry blinked even as his arms tightened pulling the man closer, "The Door?" he looked at his door, it was currently pushed closed.

Harry cleared his throat and tipped Severus' chin up with one finger, "The door is usually open because, irrational as it is, and I know it's irrational, I have a fear being locked in." he smiled crookedly and shrugged.

"You did not think to tell me this earlier? All this time…" Severus' distress shown clearly in his face, "I thought it was your way of getting revenge, for how horrible I was to you at school. Making me offer myself every evening only to be rejected." A single tear slid down his cheek.

Harry wiped the tear away with his finger tips, "I'm so sorry Sev. I never realized that you were offering…" he shrugged a little and smiled, "I thought you liked girls?"

Severus swallowed hard trying to get himself under control, "Well, yes, I guess, but, I fail to see what that has to do with this." His hand moved against Harry chest and he pressed himself against Harry letting him feel just how much he was attracted to him.

Harry chuckled a little, "Oh, I see." He stroked some of Severus' hair back from his face, "Am I to understand that you want… umm… my attentions?" a faint blush stained his cheeks.

Severus who was staring at Harry's chest, having been confused and hurt by Harry's laughter, whispered, "Yes Master, please…" his eyes suddenly went huge as he looked up and with his hand slapped over his mouth he mumbled, "I'm sorry, Harry. I didn't mean to call you that."

Harry chuckled, "You can lick the soap in the morning." Harry rolled a bit up on to one elbow to lean over Severus, "I don't particularly want to taste it when I kiss you." Early on Harry had threatened Severus with washing his mouth out with soap for calling him Master. It was the only real order Harry had ever given him and the only punishment that he had ever enforced.

Severus hand fell away from his mouth and he tilted his face up eyes half closed and lips slightly parted. His fears and hurt melted away as his Master slowly and gently made love to him, finally claiming him fully.

The End


End file.
